Car-coupling.



S. P. BUSH.

CAR COUPUNG.

APPLICATION FILED rz.25` |913.

a sums-SHEET 1.

Qu.. 1 T. p. d fw .m n@ P m w m W WITNESSES THE NoRRlS PETERS C0.. PHO/u-Ll 1 nv.. wAaHlNu ran. u. L.

S. P. BUSH.

CAR COUPLING.

APPLICATION FILED F.25. 1913.

THE MORRIS PETERS C0., PHOTDJJTHOA, wAsHlNGroN L A S. P. BUSH.

CAR COUPL'NG. nPPplcATloN man fea. 25, 19|a.

Patented A101113, 1915.

a SHEETS-SHEET a.

NVENTOR THE NuRRls PETERS Co., FHOTOvLITHQ, wASHlNGmN, D. C.

SAMUEL P. BUSH, 0F CLUMBUS, OHIO, ASSGNOR T0 THE BUCKEYE STEEL CASTINGS CGMPANY, OF UOLUlVLBUS, OHIO.

cnn-courrirno.

Menues.

Application filed February 25, 1913.

To all whom, it may concern Be it known that l, SAMUEL P. Bosi-I, of Columbus, in the county of Franklin and State of Ghio, have invented certain new and useful lmprovements in Car-Couplings; and l do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in automatic car couplings, the object being to provide certain operating advantages, such as ease and certainty of locking and unlocking the knuckle; lock-setting; knuckle throwing; for indicating the position of the inclosed lock, and for altering or changing the position of the lock.

A. further object is to secure simplicity and strength in construction and economy in manufacture.

Vf ith these objects in view my invention consists in the parts and combination of parts, and in the details of construction as will be more fully explained and pointed out in the claims.

ln the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a view in front elevation of a coupling showing my improvements in dotted lines; Fig. 2 is a similar view, the front of the knuckle being broken away and the draw or coupling head partly in section, also showing the locking block partly elevated; Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 showing the 5' locking block lock-set; Fig. Ll shows the locking block elevated and the knuckle thrown to open position by the kicker; Fig. 5 is a view partly in section showing the locking block shifted by the closing movement of the knuckle; Fig. 6 is a view in plan partly in section and Fig. 7 is a view of the locking block and its actuating link.

1 represents the coupling head carrying the pivoted knuckle 2, and 3 is the locking block located within the head, for locking the knuckle in its closed position, the head and knuckle being of the M. C. B. type.

Located in rear of the lockingblock?) is the lifting bar or link 4, provided at its upper end with a head 5, which, when the link is in its lowest position rests on the top of the coupler as shown in' Fig. l. This link 4I; may be lifted from its upper end by the chain 5a or other device, or be pushed up by a bell crank lever 6, which as shown in Fig. 1, may

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr., t3, lllll.

Serial No. 750,68*?.

be located at either or both sides of the coupler. The link 4 is located at the rear of the locking block, and is preferably of a length suliicient to extend through the top and bottom walls of the coupler head; and is provided on its front face with a for* wardly projecting lug 7 adapted to engage the shoulder 8 on the locking block 3, and also with the shoulder 18, adapted under certain conditions, to rest on the top of the locking block as shown in Fig. 5. rFhe locking block 8, is a compact block, mounted for vertical movement in a housing in the throat of the coupler, and is provided with a downwardly projecting leg l0, which forms the lower guide for the block and which is provided adjacent its lower end with a shoulder l1, adapted when the block is lock-set to rest on the shelf 12, formed at the side of the housing for the block. rlhis leg 10 is of such size, and is so located with relation to the locking block, that when the latter is in set or elevated position, the tail of the knuckle will be free to pass under the shoule der 8 of the block, thus permitting the knuckle to swing to its open position.

lWhen the knuckle is closed and looked, the body of the locking block 3 rests squarely in the path of the tail of the knuckle as shown in Fig. l. l/Vhen necessary to unlock the knuckle, the link 4E may be raised either from the top or the bottom, and the lug 7 thereon coming in contact with the shoul der 8, elevates the block (as shown in Fig. 2,) until the top of the latter makes contact with the adjacent end of the kicker 18. When this position of the locking block has been reached, the shoulder' 8 thereon is in a plane above the top surface of the front end of the tail of the knuckle, thus permitting the latter to swing to its open position, and if the upward movement of the block be continued, the top of the latter will engage the overhanging end of the bell crank kicker 13 and turn the latter on its pivot 14, thus causing its lower end to engage the rear face of the tail of the knuckle and force the latter to its open position as shown in Fig. d. rhis kicker 13 is pivoted to a block 15 (shown in dotted lines in Fig. 6) and the latter' is provided preferably with a threaded stem which passes through a hole in the top wall of the coupling head and is secured to the latter by the nut 16. rlihe lower end the kicker rests within a recess 17 ilo in the top face of the knuckle tail as shown in Fig. 6, the side walls of the recess ,operating toV prevent displacement of the kicker.

1n the upward movement of the locking block, after the shoulder 11 thereon passes the shelf 12, the'block, owing to the fact that the'lug 7 carrying same is to one side of the center of gravity, swings in a direction to carry the shoulder 11 over and into Vthe vertical plane of the shelf 12, so that Vwhen the block is lowered,the said shoulder willjengage the shelf and hold the block in its lock set position as shown in Fig. 3.

After the locking block has been lock-set, the

release of the link e permits the latter'to Y .drop until its shoulder 18 rests on the top Vof the locking block as shown in Fig.v 8,

Aso

and theprojectio'n of the link aboveY the top of the coupler, indicates that the locking block is lock-set', and the weight of the link on the locking block aids the latter in dropping quickly into its lower or locked position as soon as the block is freed from the tail of the knuckle.

The long axes of the shelf 12 and shoulder .11 are in the direction of Vthe length of the coupler, 'and consequently in the direction of the length of impact, consequently when the locking block is once set, it'cannot be dislodged Vby jarsand shocks, and when'it is lock-set the weight of the link 4e assists in holding it on its seat.

rlhe tail of the knuckle is provided on its Vupper -face 'with-a. cani 19.v (see Fig. 4)

which as the knuckle moves to its open position engages the shoulder S on the locking block and lifts theshoulder 11 up from its seat 12. As the general direction of movement ofthe cam, in the opening movement of the knuckle, isV towardthe seat 12, the friction between'the cam and shoulder 8 will hold the shoulder 11 in the plane of seat or shelf 12. 1f the front face only of the cam 19 be inclined, it will lift the block and hold it elevated above the seat without shifting .itffrom its seat. lWhenl the knuckle is 'l v turned to its closed position, the direction of movement of the top surface of its tail will be inl a general direction away from the shelf or seat 12, and the friction between the cam 19 and theunderside of shoulder 8 on the locking block, will'shift the latter inwardly thus carrying the shoulder 11 off the shelf 12, so that the locking block will be supported on the tail of the knuckle, and when the latter reaches its closed position the block will fall to its locking position (Fig l). Y

When the lock is set and it is desired to remove it without swinging the knuckle, the top of the link l may be moved to the right thus causing thelug 7 to engage the leg 10 and shift the latter suliiciently to remove the shoulder -11 from seat 12, and then by releasing the link 4: the lock will drop back to its locking position.

Both the lock and the link are simple and readily manufactured, and can be made to withstand the hardest usage to which they are liable to be subjected.

rlhe lock which is wholly inclosed is preferably inserted into the head from the front, thus avoiding the necessity for a large opening either in the top or bottom walls, which would naturally weaken these parts. The link is introduced through a comparatively small opening in the top wall and when the parts are assembled, it cannot be removed without first removing the locking block.

VThe link, in this construction is a floating one, and when at rest either in the locked or lock-set condition of the locking block, projects but little through the top of the head and is consequently fully protected from injury.

V1t is evident that many slight changes might be resorted to in the relative arrangement of parts shown and described without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention. Hence l would have it understood that I do not wish to confine myself to the exact construction of parts shown and described, but

Having fully described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters-Patent, is

1. In a car coupling, the combination of a coupling head having a seat for supporting the locking block in its lock set position, a pivoted knuckle in said head, a locking block having an extension projecting below the knuckle locking portion thereof and a lifting link havinga loose engagement with the locking block adjacent the lower end of the knuckle locking portion of the latter and at one side of its center of gravity for lifting and tilting the lock, and also adapted to be moved into contact with the depending extension of the block, whereby the latter may be forcibly pushed from its lock set position by tilting the link.

2. In a car coupling, the combination of a coupling head having a seat for supporting the locking block in its lock set position, a knuckle, a locking block having a knuckle locking portion and a part depending below said portion and provided with a shoulder K to engage the seat on the coupling head, and

inmates the block is lock set to rest on the top of the locking block and project slightly above the coupling head.

3. In a car coupling, the combination of a coupling head having a seat therein, a pivotal knuckle, a locking block provided adjacent the lower end of the knuckle locking portion thereof, and at one side of its center of gravity, with a shoulder, and a lifting link having a shoulder adapted to normally rest on the top of the block and also having a lug adapted when the link is elevated to engage the shoulder on the block for lifting and tilting the block, and also adapted when the link is supported on the top of the block to rest below said shoulder on the block and in a position to engage the block and forcibly push it from its lock set seat when the link is tilted.

4. In a car coupling, the combination of a head having a seat, a pivoted knuckle, a locking block provided adjacent its lower end with a shoulder adapted to engage the seat in the head, and also provided at a point above said shoulder, and adjacent the lower end of the knuckle locking portion of the block, with a shoulder, and a lifting link having a projection to engage said last mentioned shoulder when link is lifted and in a position to engage the block at a point below said shoulder when the link is in its lowered position.

5. In a car coupling, the combination of a head, a locking block therein, the said head having a seat on its side wall for supporting the locking block in its lock set position, a knuckle the tail of which engages the block and dislodges it from its seat during the closing movement of the knuckle, and a lifting link having a lug to engage the underside of a shoulder on the block for lifting the latter, and also to engage the outer side of the block below said shoulder whereby the block may be dislodged from its lock set position by tilting the link.

6. The combination of a head having a seat therein, a knuckle, a lifting bar having a projection, and a locking block provided adjacent its lower end with a shoulder to engage the seat in the head, and also provided at a point above said shoulder with a second shoulder to be engaged by the projection on the lifting bar, whereby when the lifting bar is elevated the projection thereon will engage the upper shoulder on the lock* ing block and lift the latter to a position whereby the shoulder at the lower end thereof will engage the seat on the head, and when said bar is released the projection thereon rest in a position to engage the block intermediate the two shoulders.

7 In a car coupling, the combination of a coupling head having a seat therein, a pivoted knuckle in said head, a locking block provided at one side of its center of gravity with a shoulder to be engaged by a lifting link, and at a point below said shoulder with a second shoulder to engage the seat in the coupling head, and a lifting link passing through the top of the coupling head and down along side of the locking block and provided with a lug to engage the lifting shoulder of the block for lifting and tilting the latter, and also adapted to engage said block below said lifting shoulder for pushing the lock set shoulder of the block off its seat in the head.

S. In a car coupling, the combination of a coupling head having a lock set seat therein, a knuckle pivoted in said head, a locking block having a lifting shoulder located at one side of the center of gravity so that as the block is lifted it will tilt in a direction to engage the seat in the head and also pro vided with a projection depending below said lifting shoulder, and a lifting link having a movement independent of the block and provided with a lug to engage the lifting shoulder of the block for elevating the latter and also adapted to engage said projection `below the lifting shoulder so that the block may be dislodged from its lock set position by a tilting movement of the lifting link.

In testimony whereof, I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

SAMUEL I). BUSH.. Witnesses:

GEO. G. MERRING, W. E. PAGE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

